Thursday, February 8, 2007

Public Potties


Oh, potty training! I didn't think it would be this long and drawn out. But I also didn't think I'd be training one child with three siblings right behind him.

I am pretty certain that Austin, just 3 last Saturday, would be completely trained if he didn't have younger triplet siblings. It's just so hard to give him the attention required on a constant basis to get this thing done. And I'm not sure that he completely understands the urge. He definitely doesn't get it when it comes to poo poo.

We finally ventured out for an extended shopping trip in big boy underwear today. One of the objectives was to let him pick out some "numberwear". Of course he picked out the exact three-pack of Thomas the Tank that he has in his drawer at home, but he picked them, not mommy.

First stop....lunch. We took Grammy Poe to Red Robin; awesome burgers. We went potty when we got there and before we left. He hasn't been in too many public restrooms that he would remember. Since the babies, we haven't been out that much and he was only 18 months old when I went on bed rest.

This particular Red Robin is brand new and the bathroom was very nice and very clean. I have never paid so much attention to the germ potential of all public places in my life! He wanted to touch everything. "What's this Mommy? What's this Mommy? This is tool Mommy! This is REALLY tool Mommy? I go potty Mommy!"

After a successful tinkle, we went to wash hands. He did great. Of course, he had to inform the lady finishing up at the sing that he had gone potty. We were both so proud. Not tall enough to reach the sink, I had to lift him up. He's in to the "my do it" phase, but he didn't fight me today. Being a new facility, they had a paper towel dispenser that is motion activated. He couldn't reach it, but he wanted me to keep waving my hand to get more towels. Our first lesson in not wasting bathroom paper towels went pretty well, however.

Next stop...Target. We made it the whole time without having to go potty or having an accident. Not wanting to push my luck, I made him go just before checkout. This potty trip made me laugh out loud. No offense to Target, but their bathrooms are far from clean. Not dissimilar to Wal Mart or any other chain like that. I guess it's the nature of the beast. Anyhow, we got his pants pulled down and he sat on the toilet after the continual "What's this Mommy?" routine. He touched every square inch of the stall, the seat, and the toiled paper dispenser.

He was especially intrigued with the toiled paper dispenser. He kept trying to find a button. "How does 'dis work Mommy? Push 'dis button? Does it come out?" Then he remembered the paper towel dispenser in Red Robin. He almost fell in the toilet trying to wave his hand in front of the toilet paper dispenser to get it to shoot out like the paper towels.

Lord give me strength to get through this with enough sanity to tackle training triplets in about a year. Whew!

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